


The History Maker

by Weeble_Beeble



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: Fantasy, Original Character - Freeform, Original work - Freeform, flight, gryphons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22143229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weeble_Beeble/pseuds/Weeble_Beeble
Summary: The day has finally come for R.A Hume to turn from a student to captain, but is she ready to become the prominent figure in history she was meant to be?





	The History Maker

My hands were gripping the edges of the cliff, sweet ground under my knees while I glanced down towards the sea. It was just as I had assumed, only clouds and mist underneath me. They told me I would feel better once I got here, but now I know they were extremely incorrect: it’s even more terrifying when you look right into the eye of the beast to reluctantly challenge its hold over you.

I heard my name called and with a slight startle I slowly unfroze myself standing up, my wobbly legs barely holding me. I hesitantly walked towards the metal gates where I would be fitted for my riding gear. I gulped, my mouth dry, unable to speak, I could already see it, ten or twenty people would surround me, encasing me with their measuring tapes and weight checks until they found a perfect match for me.  
And before I knew it, the dreadful fantasy became a nightmarish reality.

“Alright miss, we need you to take a deep breath and stop shaking for a moment, this part will be over before you even know it.” The fitter quipped.

With a reluctant gaze I released air that I wasn’t aware I was holding and took my first step into this situation I called ‘The Beginning of the End’. I remember giving it this title months ago, it was as I counted down the days from my calendar in my apartment, my red marker shaking in my hands as I marked off another day hoping the hours would somehow slow down. I took another deep breath in and put out my arms, many of the seamstresses and designers taking no spare second to whip out their pins and needles, came towards me and started my fitting. I clenched my eyes shut, trying to think of something else, anything else besides the crowd around me, but the warm air in my ears and whisperings close to my neck was a constant interference and my mind would be ripped back to reality the second it left.  
Another hour passed before I could look at myself in the mirror, all of my safety gear was covered starting from the dark brown polyester trench coat that went down to my knees, to the copper gripping boots that secured my light brown baggy pants tightly around my lower leg up to my knee. I looked like a pilot, but in some odd way, I was about to become one, so true to form. The outfit did give me a sliver of confidence, I did look rather smashing regardless of how tangled and messy my hair looked. I was already on board with my sudden transformation. 

Now, the hard part. I walked for a few moments to meet up with the security officer ready to escort me, his hands were gloved much like my own, and his eyes were saggy and dark most likely due to a lack of sleep. He greeted me with a tilt of his cap and barely before we even took a step forward he spoke:

“Ma’am, my job orders me to request you to please repeat the basics of what you have been taught to me so that I know that you are at least decently prepared for this mission.”

I grip my hands tightly in between one another, fiddling with my fingers as I tried to explain what I needed to do as clearly as I could with my stammer. It was simple in text, simple. It shouldn’t be too hard to remember even when getting on something that has never been ridden before…or has ever been known to exist before.

“I-I will get on it’s back w-while it is still tied up,” I hesitantly started, the weeks of lectures finally coming back to me, “from there I will see four pedals for my boots to link to, those pedals relate to the four basics of flight: thrust, lift, drag and weight” I paused briefly, looking over to the guard for confirmation. He nodded, beckoning me to continue my speech.

“When I get set, I must await a go ahead from an official a-and put my feet into the thrust and weight pedals so that when we j-jump I will have enough space from the cliff so not to inflict damage on myself...” Even in saying that my entire body tensed, and I suddenly was unable to speak.

“Or the creature itself. Excellent. Right this way Miss Hume” he said as he directed me towards the dimly lighted cage. He slightly opened it and I took a few steps forward, once I stepped inside, he hastily wished me good luck then immediately shut the door, the sudden slam of the metal making me jump. 

It was from that startle that I suddenly realized that I was alone, face to face with the recently discovered species, the mighty and graceful Griffon. It’s feathers soft, smooth and neat, it’s lion legs energized and at the ready. Its wings expanded for a moment smoothly as if they were gliding on ice before slowly retracting, as if it was trying to stretch, it already knew it was the dominant one here, no need for competition. 

Now, my introduction, it stared me down, anticipating my next action. My eyes widened in realization and I hastily bowed, nearly giving myself whiplash. I stayed in that position for a little while longer trembling before I heard the snapping of hay and the ruffling of feathers. I shot my head up, my body still frozen in place, and saw that the majestic creature had lowered its entire torso, inviting me to climb on to the black leather saddle placed upon it. Not wanting to make it wait further, I sped-walked towards it, then slowly began to get on top of her, the clinking of my boots connecting with the pedals as I climbed on top was the only sound throughout the initiation. My boots clinked into the proper position and slightly pushed the pedals forward to a twenty-five-degree angle, my wrist braces securing themselves to their respective latches for safety. Nope, no going back from this point, as much as it terrified me to crash to the ground in a fiery blast, it terrified me more to let down all the people that put so much into this project…working for naught, I couldn’t do that to so many people who desired to see the future in front of them.

“Watch for the ready miss, are you all set?” A stationary worker called.

I nodded, something new rising within me, the fear of failure, the fear of death..had vanished almost instantly. Once there was so much buzzing...now there was nothing. It hit me like a slap to the face, it’s removal not going unnoticed but not uninvited either. For a moment I wondered why it all suddenly vanished, but I shook it off, it didn’t matter why anymore, it was gone now and that was all there was to it. I leaned forward towards the Griffon speaking to her like I had known her for years and not just a few minutes.

“Well girl, are you ready to make history?” 

Her body rebalanced itself, dropping into a hunting stance and flexing the well toned muscles in both her eagle and lion legs. I readjusted to the new stance and mimicked her movements, keeping my head low and my eyes focused on the door, forcing the fears I had earlier to the furthest corner of my mind and holding on to the adrenaline, holding on the moment before the storm. I took the last deep breath I’d have on the ground and held it tightly within my lungs, now or never.

“Alright, let’s do it.”

The ropes around the Griffon were suddenly released, I could feel her chest expand with the side of my legs as she took her first deep breath. The red-light above me suddenly turned changed its hue to green, and the gates were opened, white light nearly blinding my vision. I heard the cheers of strangers awaiting my performance, I suddenly realized millions must be watching to see if this run is a success or failure. I shook my head, this was my time, my act. I gripped the leather reins and snapped them, a second later I was half way through the crowd, darting forward at top speed. The next there was no ground below me, only the misty clouds and the rocky waters.

For a moment, the panic of falling took complete control of me as I looked below me to see the white foam of the waves crash against the rocks, I started to fit my left foot into the ‘lift panel’ but through some power of will, I reluctantly waited. I was too close to the cliff, if I lift now I would risk permanent damage to myself and the first tamed Griffon in the world. I quickly fit my foot back into thrust and pushed it down further, forcing her to aim diagonally towards the water, and forcing myself to wait just a bit more before it was safe. My hair began whipping in front of my goggles, the scent of sea air started to fill my nose, I was getting close. I slowly put my left foot back into the lift panel.

The moment the soft spray of the sea nicked my ear, I turned my body to a side saddle position and forced both my feet down on the thrust and lift panels. My knuckle began burning and I struggled to maintain my grip as she immediately shot upwards towards the boundless sky. I managed to part my eyes for a momentane saw the Griffons wings spread magnificently, feathers the colours of browns, golds and whites shone radiantly as she passed the sunlight, clouds so close to the touch, the crowd cheering and waving their hands maniacally four hundred feet below us. 

I pressed further onto the lift panel and we elevated past a second layer of thick clouds, the serenity of silence began to soothe my jolted nerves. I began moving my right foot to the other side once more and gently pressing thrust for a smooth glide towards the beginning sunset. That was when I started to laugh hysterically, tears filling my eyes and spilling into my goggles. That just happened, all of that, every bit of it was real and I did it. I was the first, I made history and watching the sun above the clouds turn the blue sky a beautiful pink and orange hue with the gentle wind brushing past my dampened cheeks just made that reward all the sweeter.  
The creature whipped her beaked head towards me cocking her white feathered to the right gently chirping, as if to say, “What’s next?” 

I chuckled, wiping my tears, a grin plastered on my face, and I hesitantly removed one of my wrists to pat her head. Her feathers soft and smooth, it was as if you were running your hand across cashmere. With a small smile of gratitude, I quickly hooked my wrist back into the safety lock and pressed my left foot into the thrust harder, pushing us forward at optimum speed, chasing the sun. Once we picked up enough momentum, I pulled my left foot to lift and my right foot pressed into drag, so that the mechanic thrust us upward for a moment then pulled us down into a backflip past the clouds and down towards the waiting crowd. We began nose diving towards the swarm of people, for the first time in my life unafraid, ready to endure anything to feel the rush flight gave as many times as I could handle in one lifetime.


End file.
